President Obama to visit the the Central Valley

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President Barack Obama is seen Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2014, at a Costco store in Lanham, Md. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

FRESNO, Calif. (AP) — President Obama is set to make his first visit to the city of Fresno next Friday to discuss the California's ongoing drought and the federal government's efforts to tackle it.

The Fresno Bee reports that a White House official said further details about the president's trip to the San Joaquin Valley on Feb. 14 would be announced in the coming days.

The drought has been a focus of action in the California State House this week. The Republican-led House on Wednesday passed a water bill authored by Rep. David Valadao, R-Hanford, passed on largely party lines.

Congressional Democrats denounced the bill and California Gov. Jerry Brown called it divisive.

The Bee reports that Sen. Dianne Feinstein has promised to propose a bill of her own.